Download

A Divided Nation Timeline

  • Northwest Ordinance Passed

    Northwest Ordinance Passed

    The Northwest Ordinance was made to terminate the claims of individual states and to organize the territory into new states.
  • Constitution Ratified

    Constitution Ratified

    Before the Constitution could become a law and a new government could form, the document had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states.
  • Missouri Compromise

    Missouri Compromise

    This legislation admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a non-slave state at the same time, so as not to upset the balance between slave and free states in the nation. It also outlawed slavery above the 36º 30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.
  • Nat Turner Rebellion

    Nat Turner Rebellion

    Tuner (A African-American Slave) and his followers had a rebellion that started at his Master's house killing everyone in his Master's family. They marched throughout Southampton County in Virginia, killing at least 55 people until white authorities crushed the revolt. Turner avoided capture for nearly two months before he was caught.
  • Period: to

    Gag Rule In Congress

    The Gag Rule In Congress was made by the house of representatives who wanted to prohibit discussions and debates of the anti-slavery petitions. Was also made because of the 130,000 petitions that wanted abolition of slavery.
  • Period: to

    Mexican-American War

    The Mexican-American War was a war that fought over the Mexicans unwillingness to acknowledge Texas's independence, the desire of Texans who wanted statehood, and Americas desire for westward expansion. The Mexican-American War also marked the first U.S. armed conflict chiefly fought on foreign soil.
  • Wilmot Proviso

    Wilmot Proviso

    Wilmot Proviso, in U.S. history, important congressional proposal in the 1840s to prohibit the extension of slavery into the territories, a basic plank upon which the Republican Party was subsequently built.
  • Harriet Tubman Escapes Slavery

    Harriet Tubman Escapes Slavery

    Harriet Tubman escaped by herself in late fall of 1849 when she found out she was gonna get sold to a new Master. She escaped with the help of the Underground Railroad and made it to freedom and soon missed family and went everywhere to save other slaves to freedom.
  • Compromise of 1850

    Compromise of 1850

    The Compromise of 1850 included California being admitted to the Union as a Free State, the remainder of the Mexican cession was divided into the two territories of New Mexico and Utah, and also the claim of Texas to a portion of New Mexico.
  • Uncle Tom's Cabin Published

    Uncle Tom's Cabin Published

    Tells the story of Uncle Tom, an enslaved person, depicted as saintly and dignified, noble and steadfast in his beliefs. While being transported by boat to auction in New Orleans, Tom saves the life of Little Eva, an angelic and forgiving young girl, whose grateful father then purchases Tom.
  • Bleeding Kansas

    Bleeding Kansas

    Three distinct political groups occupied Kansas: pro-slavery, Free-Staters and abolitionists. Violence broke out immediately between these opposing factions and continued until 1861 when Kansas entered the Union as a free state on January 29. This era became forever known as Bleeding Kansas.
  • Dred Scott Decision

    Dred Scott Decision

    Having lived in a free state and territory did not entitle an enslaved person, Dred Scott, to his freedom. In essence, the decision argued that, as someone's property, Scott was not a citizen and could not sue in a federal court.
  • Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    Lincoln-Douglas Debates

    The debates consisted of Douglas accusing Lincoln of being an abolitionist while Lincoln accused Douglas of wanting to nationalize slavery. These main topics were reflective of the major issues that the country was facing at a national level with both sides battling for what they thought would better the Union.
  • John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry

    John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry

    Image result for John Brown Raids Harpers Ferry
    Sixteen people were killed in the raid, including ten of Brown's men. John Brown, Aaron Stevens, Edwin Coppoc, Shields Green, and John Copeland were taken to jail in Charles Town, Virginia, on October 19.
  • Abraham Lincoln Elected

    Abraham Lincoln Elected

    The national outcome of the 1860 election gave Lincoln a victory in both the popular vote and the electoral vote, with just under 40 percent of the popular vote, which totaled 1,866,452, and 180 electoral votes. Lincoln was the 16th president and was president for 4 whole years.
  • South Carolina Secedes

    South Carolina Secedes

    South Carolina became the first state to secede from the federal Union on December 20, 1860. The victory of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election triggered cries for disunion across the slaveholding South.
  • Period: to

    Civil War

    The Civil War started because of uncompromising differences between the free and slave states over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states.